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Savory Tweaks: 5 BEST Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Substitutes

Confused about what whole wheat pastry flour is or what you can use as a substitute? You’re not alone.

We’ve got 5 perfect ingredients that make for an ideal substitute for this special baking flour.

Don’t let your baking suffer, learn how to make quick and easy switches today.

What’s Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

Whole wheat pastry flour is made from a finely milled, low-protein soft wheat.

It offers more nutrition than all-purpose flour and can be used in many baking recipes such as cakes, muffins, and cookies.

Whole wheat pastry flour has a lighter texture and finer grain than regular Whole Wheat Flour.

It produces baked goods that are light in texture but still nutritious.

When substituting whole wheat pastry flour for all-purpose flour, use a 3:4 ratio of whole wheat pastry flour to all-purpose flour for the best results in baking.

This will give you the same amount of protein as all-purpose flour, with the additional nutrition of whole grains.

Whole wheat pastry flour can also be substituted for cake or pastry flour at a 1:1 ratio.

Here are some tips on using whole wheat pastry flour:

  • Use it only when you want extra nutrition and slightly lighter texture than what ordinary whole wheat provides.
  • Make sure to store the packaged version with cold food items after opening.
  • Place any remaining packages in an airtight container to preserve its nutrient content.
  • Sift it first to make sure there are no lumps or other contaminants.
  • If storing for more than 3 months at room temperature, store in an airtight container or freezer bag.

5 Best Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Substitutes to Consider

Unfortunately, due to its lower protein content compared to all-purpose white flour, it can be hard to find in stores.

Therefore, if you don’t have any on hand or can’t find it in your local store there are several potential substitutes you could use in your recipes.

Here are five of the best substitutes for whole wheat pastry flour:

1 – All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is a good substitute for whole wheat pastry flour because it has similar gluten levels, a mild flavor, and light texture.

It is the most readily available type of flour, making it an easy substitution.

It can be used in recipes such as cakes, muffins, pancakes, waffles and other baked goods that require light-textured flour.

However, all-purpose flour lacks the added nutrition and fiber provided by whole wheat pastry flour.

If substituting all-purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour in a recipe meant to provide extra fiber and nutrition that you should consider adding some dried bran or oat bran to supplement the missing nutrients.

2 – White Whole Wheat Flour

White whole wheat flour, also known as “whole wheat pastry flour,” is a very finely ground white wheat, according to Bob’s Red Mill.

It has a lighter color and milder flavor than regular whole wheat flour and it is typically used in baking delicate pastries.

If you don’t have white whole wheat pastry flour or can’t find it easily, you should consider these five easy-to-find substitutes.

Whole grain white wheat flour is made from grinding up the kernels of white winter wheat into a powder.

It has the same nutrition as regular whole wheat flour but doesn’t have the same strong flavor because of it being milled from albino grains rather than normal red-hued grains.

White whole wheat can give a lighter color and texture to baked goods like cakes, muffins and brownies without sacrificing healthy ingredients.

All-purpose flour is one of the most accessible substitutes for white whole wheat pastry flour that you can buy at nearly any grocery store.

It’s milled from hard red winter or spring type wheats and has a blend of higher protein bread flours as well as cake flours which make it ideal for baking most types of goods.

You may need to adjust your amount when using all-purpose since it does not have the same protein content as traditional whole grain flours–it holds more liquid so you’ll need slightly less volume when compared to other grains to end up with the same final product.

3 – Spelt Flour

Spelt flour is a whole grain wheat flour that has been milled from the whole grain and retains most of the nutrient-rich bran and germ.

It has a mild, nutty flavor that adds depth to baked goods and is typically lighter in color and texture than traditional wheat flours.

Spelt has a low fat content, so it won’t produce as much gluten as other flours, making it forgiving and easier to work with when you’re baking.

When substituting for whole wheat pastry flour in recipes, use an equal amount of spelt flour.

4 – Oat Flour

Oat flour is made by processing oats into a fine powder.

It has a mildly sweet and nutty flavor, with the lightness and tenderness of white flour.

Oat flour is often crushed steel-cut oats that create a finer texture than stone-ground flour.

Oat flour is high in dietary fiber and a good source of manganese, protein, phosphorus, magnesium and iron for vegans or those who are gluten intolerant.

Just remember that oat flour does not contain gluten so cannot be used to make yeasted doughs and will have an impact on the texture of the finished product.

When replacing whole wheat pastry flour with oat flour, approximately 1 cup (112 g) of oat flour should be used to replace 1 cup (112 g) whole wheat pastry flour; however be mindful as some recipes may require extra liquid or binder as oat flour doesn’t contain any gluten to help bind or structure the texture.

Additionally, oatmeal can also be used as an alternative to whole wheat pastry flour for certain recipes like pancakes or muffins however the texture of finished baked goods won’t be aerated as much compared to when using white pastry flour.

5 – Almond Flour

Almond flour is a popular low-carb alternative to whole wheat pastry flour.

It has lesser calories per cup than traditional flour but is higher in fat, which makes it best for baking lightly sweetened desserts and savory dishes, as opposed to baking dense breads.

It contains less gluten than wheat flour, so it can be used as an all-purpose 1:1 substitution in recipes calling for whole wheat pastry flour.

Additionally, almond flour has nutty flavor that brings an extra dimension of flavor.

Almond Flour can also be used in smaller amounts to replace some or all of the fat in baked goods, while adding both flavor and texture.

Conclusion

Whole wheat pastry flour is a whole grain baking flour that has been finely milled.

It contains less gluten than regular wheat flour, which gives the pastries and other baked goods a lighter and more delicate crumb.

If you are looking for an alternative to using whole wheat pastry flour in your recipes, consider using these 5 substitutes for your next recipes.

5 Best Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Substitutes to Consider

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Substitutes
Cuisine Classic

Ingredients
  

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • White Whole Wheat Flour
  • Spelt Flour
  • Oat Flour
  • Almond Flour

Instructions
 

  • Choose your preferred substitute from the list of options.
  • Organize all of your ingredients.
  • Use the proper substitute to cook your recipes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!